| Pharmaceutical and Cosmetics |
|
|
|
|
GovXContentSection Pharmaceutical crime refers to the entire range of offenses connected to medicines, raw materials for medicine manufacture, devices and accessories that have medical use, and cosmetics. The penetration of these products into the distribution and marketing system is a danger, first and foremost, to public health. But it also exacts a social and economic price.
Counterfeit Medicines, Preparations and Dietary Supplements
- Counterfeit Medicines - These are medicines and medicinal preparations from manufacturers that are not registered and not approved by the Ministry of Health. The medicines and preparations are presented under a range of trade names. The medicines and preparations are presented as being intended to address health problems (e.g. counterfeit medicine for impotence or for weight loss); or medicines or preparations presented as original, known and approved, in spite of their not being so, as they were not manufactured by the original manufacturer and not approved by the Ministry of Health.
- Counterfeit Dietary Supplements
Dietary supplements that contain a pharmaceutical active ingredient, although by definition, being food products, they should not contain this at all; or dietary supplements masquerading as dietary supplements that are known and original on the market, but were not manufactured by the original manufacturer and not approved by the Food Service.
- Counterfeit Medical Equipment
Medical accessories and devices (such as pregnancy tests, glucose meters, syringes, condoms, etc.) from manufacturers that are not registered and not approved by the Ministry of Health. The equipment is presented under a range of trade names; or medical equipment that masquerades as equipment that is known and original on the market, but was not manufactured by the original manufacturer.
The Health Threat
Medicines, dietary supplements and medical equipment could be counterfeit and defective, or stolen and smuggled. Common to all these is the impossibility of appraising the quality and safety of these preparations, since they have not been examined and assessed by Ministry of Health authorities or in other recognized countries.
- Counterfeit medicines / preparations could contain an active pharmaceutical ingredient at doses that are higher than the doses that have been determined to be safe for a dose. i.e. a person who takes them could be exposed to dangerous overdoses of the active ingredient. The preparations/ medicines might also not contain any active pharmaceutical ingredient at all, i.e. the person who takes the preparation/ medicine will not benefit from any improvement in his condition and his health will be impaired.
- Counterfeit preparations and medicines are mostly of poor quality and could vary greatly from one dose to the next. Their effect would thus markedly change between one dose and the next on the continuum between toxicity and inefficacy.
- Counterfeit medicines, preparations, dietary supplements and medical equipment are not manufactured under good conditions. They may therefore contain damaging contaminants and impurities that are dangerous for health.
- Counterfeit medicines and medicinal preparations are taken without the necessary medical monitoring and supervision. Taking them could thus endanger the patient. This is because of the lack of medical supervision, which means that no allowance is made for the medical condition of the person taking the counterfeit preparation and for whether, in view of his medical condition, he may take the preparations without endangering his health.
Warning Signs for Counterfeit Medicines
- The medicine/preparation was not purchased in an authorized pharmacy, but rather via the internet, in a grocery store, convenience store, kiosk or it was dispensed by an unqualified person, etc.
- Suspicious signs appear on the packaging of the preparation, such as: writing in a foreign language, such as: Chinese, Thai, Hindi and others.
- Writing that appears on the preparation’s packaging has spelling errors.
- Obligatory details are not displayed on then package, such as: name of manufacturer, expiry date, lot lumber.
- Absence of a patient leaflet in Hebrew and English in the package of the medicine and medical equipment.
- The medicine is not registered in the Drug Registry of the Ministry of Health.
Where do Counterfeit and Defective Medicinal Preparations Come From?
Counterfeit, defective stolen and smuggled medicines, dietary supplements and medical devices are mostly sold outside of pharmacies, institutes and dental surgeries, usually in the following ways:
- Internet - A considerable portion of preparations sold via the internet are counterfeit, defective or both. Even if the preparation is original, the way in which it was shipped to Israel, under conditions that are not good as regards environment and temperature, could impair its quality.
- Sold in convenience stores and kiosks.
- Sold in businesses such as hair salons, cosmeticians, beauty parlors (primarily weight loss preparations).
- Sold by private persons, through advertisements in the newspaper, on notice boards, in fitness and health clubs.
Examples of Common Counterfeit Medicines
- Falsification of preparations for the treatment of impotence - a counterfeit medicine presented as being capable of improving sexual function. Their sale is actually prohibited. The medicine is sometimes falsely presented to the purchaser as a “100% natural” dietary supplement, from a Chinese, Indian or Thai source, even though it contains pharmaceutical active ingredients and is not at all natural.
- Examples: "Tiger King", "Shark Essence", "Manpower", "Ok Super", “Kamagra”.
- Counterfeit medicines that masquerade as original medicines, but were not manufactured by the authorized manufacturer, counterfeit medicines that are similar in shape and color to the original and registered medicines “Viagra”, "Cialis” and “Levitra”.
- Examples: "Vizagra" "Sildagra", "Super Comta”.
Counterfeit medicines and dietary supplements for the treatment of impotence are known as dangerous when taken without medical supervision. The medicines mentioned are manufactured in conditions that are not good, there is no consistency between tablets, and they may contain a dangerous dosage, above that defined as “therapeutic”.
|
This information is also available in the following languages:
|
|
|
|
Reporting Counterfeit Medicines
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
